Twisted Fate
by silverfang693
Summary: An egg is stolen from Galbatorix. A girl is off to find Eragon. The girl hates Galbatorix, but calls him father. ::Shoot! You're telling me that the other two have hatched?::
1. First

About 8 months before the end of Eragon.

SLAP! "Insolent wench! How DARE you bear me a _female_ child!" A deep cold male voice yelled. SLAP!

A crying woman's face became visible, "I'm s-sorry! I didn't try to!" she burst out between sobs. The man's face was in shadow, but his eyes could be seen, shining like two burning suns with the equal of ten thousand suns' rage burning inside them. The flaming eyes narrowed.

"I don't care!" he announced, "Guards!" instantly five guards appeared at his side. "Take her to the dungeons! Leave her there to rot!" He roared as the guards dragged the bawling woman through the door.

"Please!" she begged, "Be good to her!" the man growled quietly, yet menacingly, but looked as if her considered the woman's words.

* * *

Talim woke with a start. Sweat covered her body and she was panting. This nightmare was not unique, but it scared her each time she saw those eyes... They contained so much hatred and evil.

Standing up, she stood in front of a mirror. Red-brown eyes stared back at her... there was brown hair was in a messy braid down her back, even more messy than usual from her troubled sleep. Talim was skinny, but not sickly looking. Her skin was a cream color, and she stood about 5 ½ feet, a good height for a 13 year old. Talim lazily pulled on a tee shirt and some jeans. She roughly jammed a brush through her waist long hair and braided it again. Walking past the door Talim ran back to wash her face, something she almost forgot everyday.

Thanking a man, she took the PB&J sandwich he offered her and Talim started to jog to the gardens. A man with brown hair and a pointed face stood alone in the middle of the pathway, pausing to smell a flower with a look of disgust on his face.

"Don't they smell good?" Talim greeted him; she obviously missed the look on his face. He grunted and turned. His eyes were brown and his body was rippled with muscles. He looked old, about 50, but Talim thought that he was much older; after all he was a dragon rider. The man was known to the whole kingdom as King Galbatorix, but to Talim, he was known as Father.

"Talim, good to see you," King Galbatorix muttered. She reached his side and he spoke again, "Do you trust me?"

Talim was a bit confused, but she answered, "Yes, Father, of course!"

"You'd pledge yourself to me?" the king eagerly questioned.

"Didn't I at birth?" Talim countered the question with one of her own.

"Yes," the king muttered, "but you never know these days, after what Murtagh did..." in response to Talim's confused face, he added, "the bloody traitor ran off to join forces with the Varden."

Talim looked sad, "Why would he do that? Murtagh was my friend, he was always so nice... Besides, the Varden only wish to kill everything in our kingdom, why?" Galbatorix looked slightly happy, but his face flickered back to a blank slate.

"What do you think of them?" he asked.

"Only what you've told me of them, that they ally themselves with villains, and kill the innocent and are bloodthirsty monsters who wish death to our kingdom," Talim said in one long breath.

Galbatorix nodded, and asked further, "And the Urgals? What do you think of them?"

"Necessary allies," Talim answered confidently. The king smiled, and walked towards a door, motioning for Talim to follow. He led her down a passage way lined with many guards, and flickering torches. They finally reached a door, with a steel bolt slid across the front; Galbatorix slid it across and pushed open the door. In the center of the room were two sphere shaped rocks, no not rocks, dragon eggs! Talim's eyes grew round as she approached the eggs. The king waited patiently, wishing for one to hatch. Talim touched one of the perfect eggs; it was warm, yet not unnaturally. She wanted so bad to see a real dragon, her father never would show her his.

Minutes ticked by and the eggs didn't change at all. Galbatorix growled and pulled the girl out of the room. He led her to the garden and glared at her.

"I thought for sure that a dragon would have hatched for you, after all, you are half me!" he yelled, enraged. Talim wasn't used to this side of her father, but she wasn't scared. "I taught you all I know about fencing, the elves' language, weapons... EVERYTHING! But you can't get a dragon to hatch! Damn you! Go to your room, don't come out!" He turned and briskly sulked away, very disappointed.

Talim started up towards her room, sad since there was nothing to do in there. She turned to look at her father; maybe there was some way to stay outside. The king roared and punched a side of their castle, he drew his fist away, and glared at his bleeding knuckles. Talim frowned and sadly headed for her room.


	2. Second

Please note that Talim's age is 13. I have added it, but I wish to make it clear. Disclaimer for the whole story: I confess, I do not own Eragon, but I am working on it.

SLAP! "Insolent wench! How DARE you bear me a _female_ child!" A deep cold male voice yelled. SLAP!

_Talim shivered in her sleep, god how she hated this dream. _

A crying woman's face became visible, "I'm s-sorry! I didn't try to!" she burst out between sobs. The man's face was in shadow, but his eyes could be seen, shining like two burning suns with the equal of ten thousand suns' rage burning inside them. The flaming eyes narrowed.

"I don't care!" he announced, "Guards!" instantly five guards appeared at his side. "Take her to the dungeons! Leave her there to rot!" He roared as the guards dragged the bawling woman through the door.

"Please!" she begged, "Be good to her!" the man growled quietly, yet menacingly, but looked as if her considered the woman's words.

**But it didn't end there. **

"Wait," the man growled. The guards dragged the crying woman back into the room. Her hood fell down to reveal her facial features. A round face, beautiful red brown eyes, brown hair, and above all, she had a scar on her forehead. It was a pointed, four point star. "You shall have the privilege of naming the wench," he declared. The light shifted and for the first time the man's face became visible. He looked strangely like Talim's father.

_He can't be... he has a beard..._

Immediately after thinking this Talim realized how childish it was. Her father could have shaved the beard.

"T-talim," the woman requested, "Please, give her this!" the woman yanked her locket off her neck and dropped it in the evil man's hand. He laughed.

"In your dreams," he breathed, smirking. "I'll sell it, its gold after all!" he added evilly. With a flick of his hand the woman was dragged into the dungeons and the man exited another door.

* * *

Talim sat bolt upright. How stupid she was! Her father was evil! No, this nightmare could just be a figment of her imagination. Talim's father was NOT evil! Yes, she decided, just something her over active mind pulled out of the blue. Still, she had to ask father about it.

* * *

"Father?" Talim started tentatively, he was still mad about the dragon egg. He grunted to show he was listening. "Who was my mother? Can you describe her?"

The king grunted again, but answered, "Her name was Selena. She had a round face like yours, beautiful brown hair, and eyes just like yours too. She also had a scar on her forehead resembling a 't'. Now why all these questions child? Make haste, I am meeting with Durza."

Talim nodded and slipped away, but stood within earshot as she watched the shade approach her father. They greeted each other and the shade spoke, "The young lady asked about her mother... it is interesting. Did you ever sell that locket?" the king shook is head, "No, it's somewhere in the treasury. Now on to more pressing matters, are the Urgals all in place?" Durza nodded, "But we are still searching for this new dragon rider... we fear that he has joined the Varden."

Talim didn't want to hear anymore. Her father had lied to her! He was so evil to his wife who he loved... "No," Talim realized, "he cannot love. I must leave this place as soon a possible!" A single tear slipped down her smooth face, glistening in the sun like a pearl as she ran off to the treasury. Her feet carried her there without being told as more pearly tears slid down her face. She pushed open the big wooden door and was faced with many treasures. Talim moved to the jewelry and spent an hour, searching for the locket. She finally found the plain heart locket, but didn't look at it longer than it took to shove it into her pocket.

Talim then grabbed a coin sack and shoveled heaping handfuls into it until the sack was full. She then packed a backpack with the essentials: a pot, clothes, water skins, and a blanket. She strapped on her belt and clipped on her assorted weapons. Talim uses a sword, a bow and arrow, and a staff, but Talim also hides small daggers and other sharp objects about her person. Multiple assassination attempts does that to a person.

She sat on her bed, waiting for the castle to fall asleep. A knock sounded at her door and Talim hastily shoved her backpack and weapon belt under her bed. A man's face appeared a the door.

"Your father wishes to speak with you," he muttered and slipped towards the servants' quarters. Talim's heart began to pound. Had he found out about her plan to escape? She slowly opened the door to his chamber and took a deep breath. If asked, Talim would have failed to recall the events of that conversation. Fortunately the king didn't know about Talim's plan, but he did talk to her about war tactics. Talim just let it slide over her, wishing he would sleep. Finally he bade her good night and retired to his bedchamber. Talim collected her belongings from her room and slipped into the cool garden.

"Just one more thing," Talim thought as she stole into the dark hallway. There were only a few guards in the passage at night, but Talim just nodded to them and headed for the door. She unlocked it and stood in the egg room, staring at the beautiful dragon eggs. Breaking her gaze, Talim grabbed the closest egg and shoved it back into her backpack. Talim walked back to the garden and took a deep breath. Her eyes shifted, looking for pursuers. Talim took one look back at the castle and stole into the night, not sure where she was going, but anywhere was better than here...

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A/N: What did ya think? Review please! 


	3. Third

Thanks to all my reviewers! This chapter is dedicated to Dragon Rider, my first reviewer!

* * *

All Talim saw was red. Wait a second! She realized it was the sun and opened her eyes. Blinking from the light, Talim sat up. Last night she had walked until she collapsed. Talim spotted a town about a mile in the distance and headed in that direction. 

Glancing at the sky, Talim noticed that the sun was right above her, so it was sometime around noon. As she trudged towards the town, Talim suddenly realized the weight of her decision to run away. Her father would surely kill her! Or maybe Galbatorix thought that she had been kidnapped! He must be trying to find her... "No," Talim realized, "he doesn't care about me, he probably will focus on that new dragon rider he was talking about..." At this Talim's hopes were lifted and she continued off towards the town.

* * *

The town was full of people. All were pushing around trying to get close enough to something. Talim slinked through the crowd and caught sight of a man shouting to the crowd. The bottom half of the man's face was short and mashed, as if he had rested his chin on a grinding wheel. He was standing on top of a barrel. His voice was too low to be distinguished, so Talim slipped further into the tangle of people.

"...all of them, brutally slaughtered due to Urgals sent by our so-called _great_ king!" he shouted. He paused for a second as the crowd moved closer and the man repeated his message, "Friends and fellow villagers. You might remember me, my name is Morn. These past years I've been up north in Carvahall with my family. When it was time to come home I passed through Yazuac. I was devastated to find it in ruins and all of its inhabitants, all of them, brutally slaughtered due to Urgals sent by our so-called _great _king!" A murmur of voices echoed through the town square and the man, Morn stepped down into the square, cueing the crowd to disperse.

Talim was so tired she didn't stop to think on this and shoved open the door to the closest Inn. After paying for a room, Talim plopped down onto the heavenly bed and let sleep whisk her away.

As time went on, Talim became acquainted to this town she came across. She learned that it was called Furnost, and just south of Urû'baen, but too small for the king to care about. As Talim began to learn about the horrible acts her father imposed upon these people, her hatred of her father deepened more and more. The dragon egg was on a shelf above her bed in her bedroom. Every day Talim would get up and pat the egg, grateful that it was no longer in her father's possession.

Talim worked when work was available, doing tasks from delivering letters to shoeing horses. Talim liked working for the leatherworker the best though; he was always so kind to her and treated her as an equal. In turn, the villagers became fond of this new mysterious girl who just showed up one day.

One day Talim woke up and felt horrible. She called a doctor and found that she had small pox along with a few other ailments. As Talim's fever grew worse, her hopes of getting better were dashed. Almost a week of pain and suffering passed and Talim started wishing for death. That night she couldn't sleep. Her sheets stuck to her sweaty body and the window provided little relief from the summer heat. Talim's breathing became labored, and she knew death was almost upon her.

A squeaking interrupted her death. It was so very annoying! Just after Talim thought the squeaker had finished, it started up again. Why couldn't she die in peace? Suddenly the walls started to shake; something was rocking and shaking them! She glanced up in her wearied state and saw the egg! Was it hatching? The egg tumbled to Talim's bed and a spidery crack blossomed from the top. Talim watched in awe as a little black dragon slipped out of the egg and started licking the membrane off itself. She blinked and shook her head weakly. The dragon was still there! It peered at Talim sympathetically and cautiously approached her. Talim suddenly knew that she only had seconds to live. She wished to have touched a dragon before she left this world. Summing up every last bit of strength she possessed, Talim raised a shaky (right) hand and rested it on the dragon's nose.

Icy energy surged excruciatingly into Talim's hand and shot through her body, burning in her veins like liquid fire. (A/n: I kept Mr. Paolini's "icy energy" and "liquid fire"... I really like how they contrast...) Talim writhed in pain and fell from the bed onto the wooden floor. She tried to move, but her body was frozen and burning at once. She wanted to yell for the pain to stop, but no sound escaped her lips. Talim lay there, waiting for death, wishing she never touched the dragon. After what seemed like forever, the pain stopped. Talim took a deep breath and noticed that it didn't hurt! She was no longer sick. The pounding headache was gone, no cough, no fever, she was cured! But wait, there was something that replaced the headache, a tendril of thought that was alien... o well, she would worry about that later. Talim realized that the dragon cured her! Not caring if she would have to experience pain again, Talim embraced the little black dragon, (to her astonishment it didn't hurt,) and cried for the first time in months... She was going to live!

The alien thought brushed her thoughts and interrupted the ecstatic bliss of life. The thought seemed non human... it was the dragon! Talim concentrated on the thought and realized that it was a feeling more than a thought... hunger! The dragon was hungry! Talim grabbed some meat from her food corner of her room and fed the dragon, piece by piece. Talim was suddenly overcome by the dragon's feeling of drowsiness and felt it herself. Talim sank down onto the hard floor, wrapped her arms around the dragon, _her _dragon, and felt sleep envelope the two of them.

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REVIEW PLS! 

Responses to reviewers:

**animelover 4.0: **Darn it! i had hoped that no one would notice that they both have the same name! lol. o well... about eragon meeting Talim, they meet in the 7th chapter... but it'll be out in about a month. thanks for reviewing!

** Lil KaWaIi AzN PrInCeSs: **Thanks! U r right, i had hoped no one would notice, and i'd b able to make it a supprise, but o well! they only mention her name ONCE in the whole book! u have a pretty good memory to remember it after a whole year! wow! im in awe of you.

**blondevil: **Thank you! i also think that originality counts the most, because there are so many stories out on but i still like the non-original ones, they are still good!

**Dragon Rider: **heres YOUR update, yes its dedicated to you! all my chapters will be dedicated to my first reviewer for that chapter.


	4. Fourth

This chapter is dedicated to **16.5.14.20.15.** It is short, because i split it into two chapters... I can't get the fifth to sound right at one part... it will be out in about a week.

* * *

"Wake up!" a voice called in through the door. A fist pounded on the wood and Talim blinked sleepily. "You have to leave today! Today is the last day you paid for! We need to clean the room for the next occupants!" Talim sat up on the floor, looking for the black dragon to prove that it wasn't a dream. The egg pieces were strewn across the bed, but the dragon was no where to be found. The pounding on the door continued. "Open up! Open up NOW or I will come in!" The voice yelled, clearly angry. Talim yelped and rushed to dispose of the egg fragments. She tossed them out the window, intending to retrieve them when she was outside. Talim shoved on her clothes and hastily ran her fingers through her messy hair. (She hadn't brushed it for about 2 weeks.) 

The door opened and a towering man emerged in the doorway. He glared at Talim and she started shoving her few things into a bag. At last she clipped on her weapons belt and smiled apologetically at the man. His glare deepened. "I'm very sorry, but I've been very sick for the past 2 weeks, and I have lost track of time," she quickly apologized.

The man grunted and pushed her out of the room. Talim took a quick look around the room, searching for the little black dragon that disappeared. "Do you have any other rooms that I could use?" Talim asked the man. He shook his head and mumbled that no Inns had any unoccupied rooms. "What's the occasion?" Talim asked, wondering if there was a festival or something to attract people.

"The king is coming," the man answered shortly and pushed her to the stairs. Talim nodded to him and headed for the door, head reeling. 'Why is Galbatorix coming?' Talim thought, 'Does he know that I'm here? More importantly, does he know that the egg- well, the used-to-be egg is here too?' She raced around the Inn to the egg shards and threw them into her sack. Talim started to panic. 'What if Father is already here and has found the dragon?' She franticly searched the town, looking for any signs of the black dragon. After combing the whole town over at least three times, Talim started to search the forest. Nothing showed up. The sun started to go down and horses appeared in the distance, only a few miles away. Talim doubled her efforts, not wanting to think of what would happen if her evil father found the dragon.

Talim entered the town again and rested against the inn where she threw the egg fragments out the window. If only the dragon had been in the room with her when she awoke. If only... if only... Something gold caught her eye. Talim picked it up and realized that it was her mother's locket. She hadn't looked at it since she took it from the treasure room. Stroking the smooth gold, Talim felt something Elvin about the simple heart. "Unuil, haylim eka guin pömnuria skulblaka," Talim muttered, (A/n: Translation: "Please, help me find my dragon.") and opened it.

It was empty. There was no picture, just a simple engraving, most likely saying, "For my daughter, I love you." Talim would have been overjoyed with this message any other time, but now... she was desperate to find the dragon. Talim's eyes flickered to the words, she was curious. "Look up." That's what it said. 'Look up?' Talim thought, 'I'm practically dieing trying to find a dragon and all my dear mum can tell me is to look up?' Any other time Talim would have not looked up just to spite her mother. It would be her way of saying, "See! I can get on without your cruddy help! 'Look up.' Honestly! How much fun are you having, torturing me?" But this time was special; she cared so much for that dragon.

Talim looked up. At first she saw nothing, but there was some movement. A flicker of... black! Talim dropped her stuff and started to climb the wall. Her father's training sessions had paid off, Talim had no trouble scaling the almost flat surface. She exposed every crack, every weakness, every bump of the wall and made a pained process up the wall. Talim hoisted herself up on the window ledge and came face to face with the dragon! Talim yelped with delight and hugged it. She tucked it under her arm and started to climb down the wall. This time it was harder, she only had one arm. The dragon started to squirm. Talim tightened her grip on it. "No," she muttered. The dragon paid no attention to her and pushed out of her grasp. For a second, Talim thought that the dragon was going to fall and hurt itself. But when she turned around, she saw the dragon, wings out, gliding towards her pack. Talim finished her decent and decided that their new home was in the woods. "Thanks mum," Talim muttered as she walked into the trees, looking around for villagers with the little dragon on her heels.

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A/n: REVIEW! The fifth is comming out in about a week! 

**16.5.14.20.15.: **Hey! Thanks for reviewing! This chapter is dedicated to you because you reviewed first. Ok, Eragon is going to teach Talim magic, but if you want i could have her figure it out on her own. Just tell me in a review. I have a rough draft for almost the whole story, but I can change it. **  
**

**Blondevil: **I'm glad u like it, and YES Morn was the bartender! I'm suprised anyone remembered that. Nice job noticing that. I'll try to get her into some kind of trouble so she has to fight... (wink)

**Mistress of Eternal Night: **Yes, she will meet him, it will be her quest in the next chapter. However, it will take until about Chapter 6 or 7 for them to meet... I've been combining chapters thats why i dont know exactly when.

**SakuraBlossomQuiet1: **shhhhh! i know, but i didnt know what to dress her in, and i wouldn't dress her in a dress! Actually, Eragon never actually has a specific time it takes place in. they have dragons and other mythical beings, but no electronics, so this could take place in an alternate dimension at this time. So, maybe they do have clothes like that. probably not tho. o well, if u'd give me a description of what u think she should be wearing, i'd be glad to substitute it in the first chapter.


	5. Fifth

Hiya—(gets hit in the head with a tomato) I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in a while!—(dodges more tomatoes) Stop it! I said I was sorry! (jumps out of the way of a more constant stream of tomatoes) AHHHHH! I'm really sorry! I was camping for a month! (shouts of, "You should have told us!" emerge from the source of tomatoes) I know, but I forgot! And then my internet broke! (the firing tomatoes slow a bit and decrease in number) Okay, I deserve this, but PLEASE STOP! (the air clears of the red missiles) Good. I'll start the chapter now, AND I shall make the sixth chapter as soon as I can!

* * *

An army of water pounded on Talim's head. She sat up from her horizontal position and looked around. She had made a little makeshift hut for her little dragon then probably collapsed on the ground. The sky was black and Talim had to feel around to find the hut. She touched a stick and snaked her hand into the shelter, finally feeling the telltale warmth of a baby dragon's underside. Talim exhaled, this dragon was a lot of work. Ignoring the rain soaking into her skin and chilling her heart, Talim laid back down and fell asleep.

The sun woke Talim and she decided to look for shelter. She wandered around the woods for a while, (but not before tying the dragon on a long leash to a tree near its hut,) until she came upon an old shack. Talim then spent the rest of the day fixing it so she would be able to live there for a few days. Her decision was to stay away from the town for as long as she could so she could be assured that the king would have left by then. After that, Talim had no clue what she'd do.

Once the shack was reasonably fixed, Talim traced her foot prints back to the black dragon and carried it in her arms back to the shack. There Talim fed it some more meet strips, (she noticed that it ate almost double what it ate the first time,) and talked to it about her life. She expressed her anger at King Galbatorix (Talim would NEVER call him father again) and her happiness of finding a true friend (the dragon). Talim explained what they would be doing for the next week or two, and added, "You'll be staying in your hut, of course, you need to learn to fend for yourself like any animal."

That night Talim's heart broke, the little dragon kept on wanting to go with her, but she kept on pushing it away. Finally, Talim was almost about to give in when she remembered the mind connection. She closed her eyes and poked around for the dragon's presence. She found it lying just bellow the surface, and concentrated hard to uncover it more. Eventually Talim felt that she would be able to communicate with the dragon and pressed the single thought, "Stay here," into the dragon's skull so hard that she wouldn't have been surprised if the dragon could actually feel it. A soft acknowledgement arose from the dragon and Talim made her way back to the shack alone.

* * *

One week passed, Talim and her dragon lived on whatever game she caught. (There was a bow and a few arrows in the shack.) The dragon had been growing rapidly, and Talim couldn't be prouder. Talim's schedule was so nice, she didn't have to work or do anything that she didn't want to. Naturally, Talim spent all her time with the dragon, but she realized that it would become dependant on her. Talim hated to stop talking and bonding with her dragon, but she had to cut down the time that she spent with it.

For the next two weeks, Talim spent half her day with the dragon, and then the other half training. Talim practiced everything, the ancient language, ("Skulblaka, dragon; nevio, black; nevio skulblaka, black dragon.") sword fighting, (Talim danced in the clearing, moving her blade in sporadic movements. "Ok," she thought aloud, "Now its time to perfect one of those moves." She copied a part of it in which her fake enemy thought she was going to trip him, but instead she knocked the sword out of his hands.) and anything she could think of that might be a useful skill for a dragon rider to possess.

Finally came the question: What to do next? Talim still had no idea what she was supposed to do as a dragon rider and the only person she knew who could ever teach her would be Galbatorix, and Talim would rather die than go back to him. There were no other dragon riders... wait a second! There was the new one that her fa- _Galbatorix_, was talking about! Talim had no idea who he-or she was, not even the person's name. It seemed useless to try and find him...her, the only person who'd know where the other rider was would be Galbatorix. It was then Talim realized that she would have to go back to that evil man's castle and spy on him.

They left the next day. Talim would be walking there alongside her dragon. She had made it once, why couldn't she do it again. Before Talim left she stole into the town and bought the first pair of gloves she could find. Talim slipped them on and ran to meet up with the dragon at the edge of the town.

It took Talim a day and a half to reach the edge of the castle. She had hid her dragon in a cave in a nearby forest; she would never forgive herself if anything happened to it. Talim crept towards the castle and saw the two guards at the gate. Suddenly a thought occurred to her, they probably didn't even know that she had left. Talim straightened up and walked purposefully through the gates and didn't even look at the guards. They said nothing. Talim smiled to herself, and ducked around the next corner.

For the rest of the day Talim slinked around the castle, looking for Galbatorix. She had hoped that he would say the rider's name to someone and where they were currently. Unfortunately Talim seemed to have no such luck. She had just decided to hide out in the garden when she came upon Galbatorix talking to Durza. Talim quickly darted out of sight and hid behind a rock wall.

"So our young rider Eragon is heading east?" Galbatorix asked. The shade nodded.

"I fear he has decided to join the Varden, we must destroy him before he has the chance," Durza said, anger rushing through his voice.

The king glared at him, "You're just mad at him because he escaped from your clutches, and with the elf!" The shade's maroon eyes narrowed, and he ignored the last comment.

"We are still training the new dragon rider, it's good that the last egg hatched for someone on our side," Durza spoke at almost a yell, trying to suppress his anger.

"Shhh...!" Galbatorix glared at the shade, "My daughter is snooping about in the castle." Talim's eyes widened, he knew she was there? Then she must get out of the castle as soon as she could.

Durza looked surprised, "So she came back?" Galbatorix nodded. "And the egg..?"

"She does not have it in her possession, it may have hatched for someone else, or maybe she hid it somewhere," Galbatorix said, obvious disappointment in his voice. Talim gaped; they still thought that the egg didn't hatch for her! She let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the rock wall. Now came the task of sneaking out. She started to look around for possible escape routes when the wall gave way just as Galbatorix finished saying, "...the next time she is spotted she will be held prisoner."

Talim gasped and ran for a door; unfortunately Galbatorix held up his hand and yelled, "Jierda!" (A/n: Stop.) She tugged and flexed her muscles, but Talim couldn't move at all. A soft and almost purring, "Meote," (A/n: Sleep.) came from behind her as the world went black.

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This chapter was dedicated to **city pigeon **and **sakura13**!

**city pigeon: **thanks! Ya, you're right, I should have just dressed her in pants... lol, I do stupid things when I try to be descriptive.

I'm not sure if u would even remember that u signed it as "..." but I will still thank you for your compliment! THANKS!

**Silverdragonsaphira: **thanks! Unfortunately, I didn't update soon... grrr, a series of unfortunate events (parents and overheating the Switch) turned into me going away for a month and me loosing internet for another week after that.

**Silverdragonargetlam: **Thanks! Ok, as for why Talim didn't use the mind connection, two reasons: 1) The connection is pretty weak for the first week or so, Eragon had trouble just to get Saphira to stay in her hut. And 2) She didn't really remember it, Galbatorix had no reason to teach Talim anything about dragons, the egg didn't hatch for her... so he thought. The necklace... well, you're supposed to be confused, I can tell you that it is magic, that it helps Talim, and that it is elfin. Hope that helps!

**Mistress of eternal night: **Thanks! Well, your question was answered in this chapter, so I guess I don't have to answer it. I think this chapter was longer, but idk, I'm not very good at writing things without breaks in between.

**Cheyenne: **Yes ma'am! Lol. I suspect the reason u wish me to write more is because you like my writing so I'll also say Thanks!

**16.5.14.20.15.: **I was trying to get Talim captured, but it never sounded right, I think even this time it still doesn't sound right, but it's the best one so far...

**Sakura13: **Thanks! I've always pictured Galbatorix as someone who no one can stand once they know the real him... I think that Talim might still have some feelings of love toward him buried deep within her, but they won't show up for a while... I don't think I want to have Talim and Eragon have feelings for each other, because that would just be weird, and plus, Eragon has Ayra. I see what you mean, that it would be funny, but I think that they will feel like brother and sister more. Galbatorix could be Eragon's father, of Eragon could have another father and they would be half siblings. I like the sound of that, but anything is possible. Thanks for the help with the clothing! I'll change it in a few hours, my mother is starting to give me things to do. Bye!

**Evil shall giggle: **Great name btw! Thanks, and I've tried to decrease my Talims, I keep on repeating her name for fear that someone will get confused. Bye!


	6. Sixth

The lids of Talim's eyes gradually parted. Something maroon greeted them, but Talim was too tired to hold them open. Taking a shaky breath, Talim's head lurched to the side, her neck not strong enough to support it. She shook her head and gathered her remaining strength to open her eyes. A set of evil maroon eyes came into view, "Durza!" Talim gasped, and jerked back. She lost her balance and went all the way to the floor. Struggling, Talim realized that she was tied to a chair. The shade, seeming to be entertained by her actions, set Talim's chair up and looked her in the eye.

"Are you quite done?" he growled at her, faking annoyance.

"Lemmie go!" Talim ordered, her voice slurred, she still hadn't fully recovered. Durza chuckled softly.

"Where's the dragon egg?" he demanded, back to business.

Talim mentally groaned, and thinking fast she replied, "I don't know, someone stole it from me!" Durza looked like he didn't believe her, so she elaborated in a tale of some mysterious figure knocking her down just after she got outside of the castle walls. The shade still looked skeptical, so Talim added, "If you don't believe me, check my backpack!" With the shade's back to her, she wiggled franticly, trying to loosen her bonds. Noticing that her weapons belt was in the corner of the room, Talim felt for one of her concealed daggers. It happened to still be there. A sliver of hope returned to her, giving her the strength to hold on.

Wearing a puzzled look, Durza returned his attention to Talim, and confirmed, "There is no dragon egg in your backpack. But you could have hidden it outside of the castle!"

Scoffing, Talim retorted, "Why would I do that? Someone might steal it!"

Durza's eyes narrowed, "I don't know, but I can find out!" He stared deeply into Talim's eyes and seemed to be concentrating. Talim was confused but remembered something like this...

* * *

_A little girl with long brown hair and red-brown eyes ran through the garden. She joyfully laughed at a strange bird and stopped at the feet of a man. "Father?" she said, tugging on his pants, for she only went up to his waist. _

_He turned and smiled, "Yes Talim?"_

"_Why am I named Talim?" she asked, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. Another man appeared at the king's side, the shade. He had an aura of evil surrounding him. Talim flinched slightly at the sight of him, but quickly regained her cheerful manner. _

"_Why do you wish to know this child?" the shade asked harshly. _

_Talim blinked, "Ummmm, I was wondering," she didn't really understand him. _

"_Your mother named you," Galbatorix cut in, "Now, we must be going." He turned to leave when Talim stopped him._

"_Wait! What was mother like?" Talim asked, needing information. _

_Durza glared at her, "Why do you wish to know _this, _child?" Talim shrugged, but looked a little guilty for some reason. Durza stared straight into Talim's eyes. She felt something pushing against her mind, and she didn't want it there. She thought of building a big castle around her mind, not letting anything in. Unfortunately, the castle toppled and the probe was in, and withdrew in a few seconds. Durza grunted angrily and stalked away. _

_The king laughed and echoed the shade's words, "Why do you wish to know?" _

"_Umm, well, you know how Durza hangs around here a lot?" the king nodded, "and how you always hang out with Durza?" again, Galbatorix nodded, "well, I was wondering, is Durza my mother?" Talim finished hurriedly. The kind laughed and shook his head._

* * *

"He's going to read my mind!" Talim realized, and quickly turned her thoughts to a huge brick wall. Pressure forced the wall to crack, and she doubled her efforts to keep her secret. "No," Talim murmured. The wall began to give way again and Durza laughed.

"Foolish girl! Resistance is futile!" (A/n: I've always wanted to say that.) he roared, gaining more strength. The wall started to crumble and then vanished completely. Stunned, Durza didn't immediately intrude on her memories, he was confused why she wasn't whining, and struggling. He mentally shrugged, and headed forward. Talim sighed, she would never win, unless... she fought back! She reached out toward the shade's mind, and started to prod at his defenses. Just like the dragon's mind, Talim could now speak to Durza.

_You won't win, I won't let you! _ She gasped, forcing her thoughts to push his back.

A cold laugh interrupted her concentration; _Do you really want to enter my mind child? There are things there that are so horrible I cannot begin to explain... I'll give you a peak._

Piles of bodies lay before Talim. People with their lives snatched from them like precious gold. The scene grew sharper. A woman, sheltering her baby from Talim, a face of utmost loathing and fear, her lips parted in the 'oo' sound. Talim had heard the words: "Damn you," and then stopped the flow of them forever. Grief rushed over her, she had murdered all these people! It was her fault, it was... _NO! It is Durza's fault! _It's yours! A hissing voice echoed through the destroyed town. Or did it? It was coming from Talim's mind... _NO! STOP! NOW! _

The scene broke and she looked at her hands, they did not kill. She tore off her gloves, and felt her fingers; they were pure, untainted by death. She looked up at Durza; he was shocked, "What?" Talim began then realized- the silver mark on her palm! The shade must know the meaning!

While he was off guard Talim shifted her weight and grasped the concealed dagger. She slit her bonds and lunged at the shade. He opened his mouth to utter a spell, but Talim hit him in the head with the handle of the dagger. Grabbing her staff and clipping on her weapons belt, the girl came to stand over Durza. She couldn't let him know about her dragon, he would tell the king, and they would hunt her! She could kill him, but she wouldn't. A thought occurred to Talim, she could steal his memory!

Unwilling though she was to enter the death trap of a mind Durza possessed, Talim couldn't think of any other way. She pushed her through the shade's weakened defenses and found the most recent memory; it faintly played over and over again. Talim mentally cut it off from the memory of tying her to a chair and waiting for her to wake up, and attached it to her memory of the incident. She then tried to back out of his mind, but she couldn't! Durza's evil memories of slaughtering people began to consume Talim. She tried to fight but was loosing! The sharp bang of a door being flung open saved her and she looked up. The kind stood, framed in the doorway.

"H-h-how-?" he started, but Talim knocked him out in a similar fashion to Durza. She stepped over him and ran to the treasure vault. After rummaging through the artifacts of importance, Talim found what she was looking for: the sack of endless water and the sack of endless food. Clipping both elvin-made objects to her belt, Talim snuck out of the castle by a secret passage and closed the door. Turning around, she looked at the door, it blended in perfectly with the stone of the castle wall, Talim noted this spot for future reference and slinked around the dusk shadows, calling out to her dragon via mind connection.

She found it a half mile into the forest, feeling for the connection. She touched the dragon's nose and felt its presence in her mind. _Talim. _It chirped happily. _Talim._

"Come on," Talim said aloud, "Lets go, we're crossing the Hadarac Desert." That was the truth, all she knew about the other rider was his name, Eragon, and that he was to the east. Sighing, she set out with the cover of night shielding her and her little dragon from the world.

* * *

This chapter is dedicated to **XdragonsX**. I have nothing else to say, except REVIEW! Cheers!

**XdragonsX: **I remember that the week after I wrote the first chapter, about 5 more fics where Galbatorix was her father/guardian showed up. I was kinda pissed at first, but I realized that these people probably read my fic and liked the idea so much that they had to use it too. Then whenever I read one of these fics I would always feel like someone complimented my writing. Who knows, maybe there's someone who put their fic out before me with Galbatorix as the main character's father. But I didn't copy anyone, and I can tell that you didn't copy me. Sometimes an author writes in a way that makes you wonder about someone's family. Anyway, I tried to keep my Talims short and switch around the structures of my sentences, and I will do a whole lot better next chapter! (I can tell because I already have it written.) Wow, this was a long response! BYE

**Daydreamin' angel: **good catch about sleep! I looked for that word quickly in the back of the book, but I didn't see it. You can tell I was rushing. (sweat drop) O well! I'll fix that on my fixing day, (tomorrow) because I don't have the files on this computer, and I will fix the other computer... tomorrow. lol. I guess I just don't feel like fixing it. Bye!

**Mistress of eternal night: **Thanks! The Seventh will probably be out before you get back also! Until then!

**Lil KaWaIi AzN PrInCeSs: **Yes, I do remember you! You were the first reviewer to realize that their mothers have the same name, and might be the same person! See ya!

And to all: The next chapter will probably be out in a week, maybe sooner if I'm feeling like writing. Tomorrow is Fix Day, where I fix all the little things in my chapters that you kind and very helpful reviewers have pointed out to me! Happy almost Fix Day! Bye!


	7. Seventh

The soft grinding sound of sand moving alerted Talim that she was not alone. She had been resting against a large rock, listening to the crackling of the fire and waiting for her dragon to return from its flight. Her heart skipped a few beats and Talim tried to fake sleep so whoever was approaching would be caught off guard. The footsteps came closer and she shifted in her "sleep" conveniently placing her hand right next to a hidden dagger. Keeping her eyelids cracked, Talim slid her dagger silently out of its sheath and in one fluid motion, sprang up and pressed it against her attacker's throat.

"Stop! I mean you no harm!" the figure said, their voice suggesting that they were male.

Talim grunted and shifted his face so she could see it in the fire light. He was a bistered small man, but looked powerful. It was the type of power that only emancipates from one who knows a skill to its limits. She blinked, sheathed her dagger and sat down, patting the sand next to her.

The man cautiously claimed the spot next to her and a chilling unknowing silence filled the few feet between them. Finally, Talim split the silence with the usual meet-and-greet phrases, "Sorry 'bout that. My name's Talim. I'm from Urû'baen."

"Hi. Don't worry about it. I'm Trevor, and from Daret." He replied.

"Wow, Daret, that's a ways away."

"Everything is far away when you're in the middle of a desert."

Talim laughed nervously, "Yeah, I guess. So what's your skill?"

Trevor looked at her curiously, "Excuse me?"

"Uh," Talim was confused, what didn't he understand about that? Everyone with a skill knew about the sort of aura that surrounds another. "The thing that you are really good at... that gives you a more powerful presence?"

"Oh, well, I'm skilled in archery, I once worked for the king!" He claimed, obviously proud, "Well, when he was a good king," Trevor finished, his voice wavering.

"Well, please continue wherever you were going, and may you find good fortune," Talim finished, obviously bored with talking.

"Wait! Umm, do you know where we are? I'm kind of lost..."

Talim sighed, "Well, there's an oasis about a day's walk north of here."

"Thank you, you see I'm lost." Talim shook Trevor's hand and started to put out her fire when she noticed that he hadn't left. She looked over towards him her face clearly saying, "What now?"

"Well, I was wondering if, well, if you were going that way that maybe we might be able to travel together...?" He asked, his voice trailing off. Talim blinked, this man was so weird! There must be some other reason for him wanting to travel with her! If on she could somehow find out. Maybe there is a way, maybe she could do the same thing with Durza!

Talim closed her eyes, pretending to think about his proposal. She imagined her thoughts tracing the path between their minds. She cut through his defenses like they were paper, Trevor probably didn't even notice. She encountered a wisp of a presence other than Trevor's there, but Talim ignored it. Surprisingly, he just was afraid of the Urgals traveling across the desert. Talim stifled a laugh and started to withdraw her consciousness when she came upon that other mind. It also reeked of power, a power similar to her own... dragon power!

"I will be happy to accompany you to the oasis," Talim answered, quickly reaching out to her dragon and explaining the situation (in mere feelings this proved to be fairly challenging.) Traveling with Trevor would mean that she couldn't see her dragon until they reached the oasis, but Talim would do anything to find out why Eragon's presence lingered in Trevor's mind.

* * *

Talim was wicked bored. All Trevor could do was babble on and on about his achievements fighting in the king's private archer guard. Which, according to him, was practically fighting side by side with Galbatorix.

"So," Talim interrupted, desperate to get him off topic, "have you ever met anyone named Eragon?" Trevor shook his head and started to list people named Evan and Erik, but Talim didn't care about them.

She pretended that she did. "I see, well have you ever met anyone with a silver burn on their hand?" Again, a no, accompanied with a long and boring discussion of all sorts of nasty burns he had seen. Again, Talim didn't care.

"Hmmm, interesting," she answered, though it wasn't. "By any chance have you seen anyone in this desert who was wearing gloves even though it is so hot?" Talim seriously doubted this, but it was worth a try.

"No," Trevor began, "I haven't seen anyone but you in this blasted desert..." Talim tuned him out. So much for finding out about Eragon... She was wishing that she had left Trevor to fend for himself when something caught her ears, "...Yes, he was a curious fellow, when we gave him the gloves he put them on deliberately so we couldn't see his palms. How strange is that?"

"Very, what did he say his name was?" Talim cut in, suddenly interested.

"He didn't, but I followed him and his old companion out of town, I was tired so I didn't follow them very far, but the last thing I heard was the old man ask the teenage boy if he used his powers at all while they were in my town."

"Did they say where they were going?"

"Yes, actually, Dras-Leona, but this was a few months ago."

Talim sighed, if only she knew better where Eragon was, anything was better than "to the east". She suddenly remembered her mother's locket. It had helped her once, it could help her again! During their break for lunch she asked the locket where Eragon was. (In the old language, of course.) She wasn't sure it would work but the text, "_Look up_" had been changed to, "_Fěngrad". _How great was this locket?

It was around 2 pm when the oasis was in sight and Trevor bade Talim good bye, with the answer to her most recent question, "Fěngrad? Oh that's on the âz ragni river, just around the big bend." Finally Talim was able to call her dragon back.

The dragon was truly happy to see her again and happily greeted her with a, "Talim!" via mind connection. After talking to her dragon for an hour, a new word appeared in the dragon's consciousness. "Briam!"

"No, that's a boy's name, I'm Talim," she corrected, utterly bewildered at the dragon's word.

"Briam!"

"Oh, are you talking about the dragon Briam?"

"No."

"...Then who is Briam?"

"Me."

And thus, the dynamic team of Talim and Briam was born.

* * *

I know, cheesy last sentence, but I couldn't help it. I've always wanted to day that. Ok, here's my dilemma. Eldest is coming out tomorrow. YAY! But, what should I do about this fic? I will put out at least one more chapter where Talim and Eragon meet, because I've wanted to do that for a while now, but I had to build up to it. So, if you guys wish for me to continue, despite the fact that it won't be true to the latest of the Inheritance Trilogy, than I will. It is up to you, my great reviewers to tell me what I should do!

This chapter is dedicated to **blondevil **and **the elemental goddess.**

**Lil KaWaIi AzN PrInCeSs: **No prob. I can't wait 'til tomorrow!

**animelover 4.0: **"it's slowly losing it's flare though..." do you mean my story, or slowness? AHHH! What can I do to fix my story? Help!

**The elemental goddess: **good call on Murtagh and Talim, we'll have to c! (wink) Eragon's father has always been a mystery to me, so maybe I decided to give him a father, just not a very desirable one... but a father none the less.. About Talim's dragon's name... well, I couldn't decide a suitable name, (that's why it too me so long to get this one out) so I just used one of them from the book... I still don't like it, so if you don't please tell me what to switch it to! I decided to not have Talim meet her father when he went to Furnost, but his business there will have future meaning... or well, I plan to make it have meaning... Galbatorix knew that Talim was there because the servants told him. They notice everything, and they are very quiet about it, because that's their job! Lol...well, kinda!

**Mistress of eternal night: **SORRY! I didn't get this one out for so long because I couldn't think of a suitable name for her dragon! I know that's a lame excuse, but if I'm gonna have to type it almost every time I wish to talk about her dragon the name has to be a good one! See ya!

**Blondevil: **Yup! I didn't think so either, that is the reason I was prepared to give to any reviewer who questioned it! Lol. C ya!


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